Athletics stakeholders plan trust fund for Adu’s daughter

Some stakeholders in Nigerian athletics are planning a trust fund for late Coach Uruemu Adu’s daughter, Oghenetega Adijat, who became an orphan following the demise of her parents.

The late Coach Adu, 54, lost his wife, a former athlete, Abiola Williams, two years ago. He died last month.

Coach Adu was a first-class coach, who produced national athletes through the Arena Athletics Academy, Lagos, where he was the chief coach.

The coach, who was the secretary-general of the Nigeria Athletics Masters (NAM), was buried in Okurekpo-Okpara, Delta State recently.

According to NAM, various groups have raised over N1 million for the trust fund and funeral of the former Urhobo College Effurun old boy, who hailed from Okuokoko-Okpara in Delta State.

Uruemu, a former sprinter cum quarter-miler, trained some notable Nigerian sprinters, including Bamidele Taiwo, David Sule and Okey Ezuika to national stardom, and was also behind the success story of Nkem Ezealah, the young athlete, who died from a car crash a few years ago.

Other athletes that benefited from Adu’s tutelage include sprinter/jumper, Ruth Usoro, who is fourth in the Nigerian all-time indoor list for long jump after leaping to a new 6.57m personal best in February, and Omoshola Omolayo, who is also on a track and field scholarship in the U.S.